running down a dark hallway with no light to guide me,
I hear doors slamming shut one by one,
pain and fear consume me as I realize I will be shut in
this place and lost forever, crushed by the unforgiving
walls, stared down by the huge closed doors
and they will mock me and tease me,
and then there will be no escape.
even though I know there’s an open door right now,
it will close before I can reach it.
then, as everything closes in on me, and the mocking laughter
fills my ears, my mind will slip away little by little
until I don’t know who I am anymore,
and all I’ll do is lie on the floor and plead
hopelessly, for someone to please turn on a light again,
because I’m afraid of the dark.

3/98